EXHIBITION | Aboriginal Art Brisbane: Tjapaltjarri men

Published on 30 Sep 2019 1:58:42 pm

This October marks the 35th anniversary of the last group of Aboriginal people to come out of the deserts of Central Australia and make contact with non Aboriginal Australia. The group, becoming known as the Pintubi Nine, were the last group of Aboriginal Australians living a completely traditional existence.

On Saturday October 13th 1984 a small family group who had been living a semi nomadic hunter gather life, completely oblivious of the western world, came upon others of their language group who had travelled from the Aboriginal community of Kiwirrkurra. They were the last of a culture living as their ancestors had for millennia.

Thomas Tjapaltjarri 'Tingari' MK17220, 90 x 120cm acrylic on linen

Erroneously reported as the ‘lost tribe’, they were anything but. Disconnected from their people who had been forcibly removed their homelands over 20 years before, this small family group lived in one of the remotest and harshest parts of Australia.

In the 35 years since that day most of the group have received high recognition as artists. Painting traditional stories and depictions of country they have established themselves as some of Australia’s leading Aboriginal artists.

Participating in exhibitions around the world for almost 20 years, it has only been in the past 5 years that critical acclaim has come.

“Major exhibitions in New York at both Gagosian Gallery and Salon 94 have created unprecedented exposure for these artists and Aboriginal Art across the board”, says Director Mike Mitchell. “The recognition long overdue for these key contributors to contemporary Aboriginal art is finally happening”.

This exhibition marks 35 years since contact and over 3 decades of artistic endeavour. Showcasing artworks collected over 2 decades and showing the immense talent of the three Tjapaltjarri men.